Quick transmigration to punish scumbags, have a child to inherit everything from them

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I have made all the arrangements. Tonight, you may simply choose Consort Liang as usual."

Although Eunuch Sun said this, he strongly disapproved of the Emperor's secret favoritism towards Jiang Shuning. In fact, he even promoted Liang Qiuli, the daughter of a county magistrate, to the rank of Zhaoyi as a shield in order to protect her.

"Yes, Eunuch Sun, you will accompany me to meet the Minister of Revenue later."

Chu Tianling felt much better at the thought that he would finally be able to see Jiang Shuning tonight.

……

"Your Majesty, someone from the Imperial Household Department has come and said that the Emperor has chosen you tonight."

Liang Qiuli's personal maid, Xizhu, hurriedly left the inner room. Although it was a happy occasion, there was no joy on her face.

"Hmm, have someone prepare water and serve me a bath."

Liang Qiuli, who was reclining on the couch reading a book, simply replied with a faint voice when she heard Xi Zhu's words.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor will probably sneak off to the neighbor's Consort Yu's place tonight. You don't need to dress up or do anything special."

The servants at Yong'an Palace, including Xi Zhu, were all arranged by Eunuch Sun, but Liang Qiuli just happened to win them over with a loyalty talisman.

Therefore, Xi Zhu knew the Emperor's attitude towards Liang Qiuli and worried that the greater Liang Qiuli's expectations, the greater her disappointment would be.

"I know, remember to prepare more flower petals."

Liang Qiuli didn't care. Although it was impossible for the emperor to like her immediately, she was confident in her beauty.

Besides, she had sweated today and was going to take a bath anyway, so it wasn't like she dressed up specifically for him.

"Yes."

Xi Zhu nodded and went to instruct the palace maids to prepare bathing supplies.

It was common knowledge in the harem that Consort Liang was deeply favored by the Emperor, so the Imperial Household Department dared not neglect her and sent over the freshest flower petals and spices.

They even prepared several buckets of milk for Liang Qiuli to use for bathing.

"The Emperor has arrived."

Before it got dark, Chu Tianling headed towards Yong'an Palace.

"Your Highness, may the Emperor be blessed with good health and happiness."

As soon as Chu Tianling entered the main gate of Yong'an Palace, he saw Liang Qiuli, who had just bathed, wearing a light gauze dress, bowing gracefully to him.

Liang Qiuli's graceful figure, coupled with her unparalleled face, made her look like a fairy descending to earth, and she was so beautiful that she was beyond compare.

For some reason, Chu Tianling found Liang Qiuli particularly alluring today, especially the slightly damp strands of hair clinging to her neck, which made his throat tighten.

But when he touched the purse he was wearing, his expression suddenly turned cold.

"Go back and put your clothes on properly. Trying to seduce me dressed like this won't work. I won't favor you."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Liang Qiuli, turned around, and walked towards the bamboo grove shared by Yong'an Palace and Ningxi Palace.

Meanwhile, Chu Tianling had already instructed Eunuch Sun to open a small path leading directly to Ningxi Palace, making it easier for him to choose Liang Qiuli and go see Jiang Shuning.

After being spoken to by the Emperor, Liang Qiuli lowered her almond-shaped eyes and dared not look at Chu Tianling's back.

After Chu Tianling and his men completely disappeared into the bamboo forest, he turned around and entered his bedroom without looking back.

Her eyes no longer held the desolation they had shown moments before; she had only been acting, making Chu Tianling believe that she was deeply in love with him.

"Ning'er, I've come to see you."

When Chu Tianling arrived at Ningxi Palace, he didn't have anyone announce his arrival. He went straight into Jiang Shuning's bedroom and saw her with her back to the door, her body trembling slightly, as if she was crying.

"What happened? Who bullied you? I will... I will stand up for you from now on."

Chu Tianling originally wanted to make the decision for her immediately, but when he thought that he couldn't openly dote on Jiang Shuning, he changed his mind.

Jiang Shuning originally thought that Chu Tianling would immediately stand up for her, after all, she had cried so hard, but she didn't expect that he was just making empty promises.

Could it be that he's started to disregard Liang Qiuli now that he's been spending time with her in the same room these past few days?

She didn't need to pretend to be magnanimous in front of Chu Tianling, so she turned around and questioned him directly.

"Does Your Majesty no longer love me and have fallen for that Liang Qiuli?"

Chu Tianling was taken aback by Jiang Shuning's sudden question. How could he not like Ning'er? She was a woman he had gone to great lengths to bring into the palace.

He only has her in his heart, and for the Empress, she will always be his only love.

"Ning'er, how could you think like that? After all these years, don't you understand my feelings for you?"

Chu Tianling stopped referring to himself as "I" (朕), which shows his urgency and unease at that moment.

However, ever since he met Ning'er, she has always been the person who understands him the most. Why would she suddenly ask such a strange question this time?

Could it be...

Just as Chu Tianling considered one possibility, Jiang Shuning's words, which were slightly less flattering than Liang Qiuli's, reached his ears.

"It's that Consort Liang again. She deliberately provoked me, saying... saying... that the Emperor treats her differently."

Jiang Shuning's voice carried a hint of grievance, but more so, it reflected her concern for Chu Tianling.

She wouldn't have allowed Chu Tianling to have any relationship with Liang Qiuli if she hadn't been forced to, after all, Liang Qiuli's face was just too beautiful.

Just looking at her is enough to attract you, so she has to make sure that Chu Tianling only uses Liang Qiuli and has no genuine feelings for her.

Chu Tianling's eyes flashed with displeasure upon hearing Jiang Shuning's words.

This Liang Qiuli has really gotten too big for her britches. She's just a shield and she dares to play tricks on Ning'er. She even dared to dress like that to seduce him just now.

He was going to teach her a lesson, to show her what she should and shouldn't do, or he wouldn't mind finding another scapegoat.

Thinking this, Chu Tianling stood up and, while speaking, prepared to return to Liang Qiuli's residence.

"Ning'er, don't worry, I'll go and teach her a lesson so she'll know who she is."

Chu Tianling turned and left with a cold face.

Jiang Shuning was in a great mood; it seemed that Chu Tianling still loved her.

……

"Liang Qiuli, come out here for me!"

Since the entire Yong'an Palace was staffed by his people, Chu Tianling didn't need to pretend. He kicked open the door to Liang Qiuli's bedchamber and stormed in.

Liang Qiuli was lying on the couch, having Xizhu apply perfume to her whole body, when she was startled by Chu Tianling's sudden action. She immediately sat up and gathered her half-undone clothes.

She was afraid that Chu Tianling would think she was seducing him.

Chu Tianling watched the fleeting glimpse of that fair and tender skin, and for some reason, he felt a desire to continue watching.

However, thinking of Ning'er's pitiful and aggrieved appearance just now, he suppressed these romantic thoughts.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Liang Qiuli's voice was not as arrogant as it had been in front of the concubines during the day; instead, it was somewhat soft and gentle, and her eyes even revealed a hint of confusion, as if she really didn't know why Chu Tianling was angry.

Chu Tianling was annoyed by Liang Qiuli's gaze, so he directly raised his hand and pinched her chin.

"I warned you long ago that you were just a shield. If you behaved yourself, I would have guaranteed you wealth and honor in the future. But you dared to sow discord between me and Ning'er!"

Liang Qiuli felt a sharp pain in her chin, but she didn't struggle. She simply looked straight at Chu Tianling with her clear eyes.

"I...I did not try to sow discord between you and my sister. As for today in the Consort's palace, it was Your Majesty...you wanted me to be my sister's shield, so I pretended to be spoiled and arrogant. It was all for my sister's good."

Chu Tianling's fingers trembled slightly. He hadn't expected Liang Qiuli to answer like that. Indeed, it was he who had asked her to be Ning'er's shield.

So she did that to protect Ning'er. His grip gradually loosened, and Liang Qiuli was finally freed.

After letting go, the smooth touch on his hand disappeared, and Chu Tianling felt a strange sense of reluctance.

Instead of rubbing her sore chin, Liang Qiuli looked at Chu Tianling with concern and spoke softly.

"Your Majesty, I know that you only have my sister in your heart. I will not compete with her. If my sister still does not believe me, I will go with Your Majesty to explain to her later, okay?"

Looking into Liang Qiuli's innocent and harmless eyes, Chu Tianling felt a little wavering.

I didn't expect her to be so considerate. It seems that he and Ning'er misunderstood her.

He suddenly felt a pang of guilt, after all, if he made her Ning'er's shield, she would inevitably face a lot of trouble from the concubines in the harem.

If she were a little more assertive or even spoiled when dealing with the other concubines, he would feel less guilty.

Chu Tianling sighed.

"Alright, I'll explain to Ning'er later, you don't need to worry. And it's fine to be assertive in public, as long as they believe that I truly love you, and we can't let them suspect that you're Ning'er's shield."

After saying that, Chu Tianling turned to leave, but Ning'er was still waiting for him to have dinner.

Liang Qiuli cursed inwardly as she listened to Chu Tianling's shameless words.

Dog Emperor!

That dog emperor deserves a terrible death!

"Your Majesty, I obey your command and respectfully see you off."

Her face remained respectful, but her words conveyed an urgent desire for him to leave.

Chu Tianling felt inexplicably uneasy, but he didn't delve into it.

"Your Majesty, why don't you invite the Emperor to dine with you?"

Xi Zhu watched as Liang Qiuli bathed and applied perfume, yet she didn't even offer to invite the Emperor to dine with her. At this rate, when would the Emperor be able to stay overnight at Yong'an Palace?

"No rush, some things need to be done step by step."

……

Chu Tianling has been secretly plotting with Minister Jiang of the Ministry of Revenue and others for the past few days on how to deal with the Regent, and has not chosen anyone else.

"At the grand court assembly the day after tomorrow, I will have someone bring up the matter of the northern expedition again. I hope that Minister Jiang and the Grand Tutor will give me their full support."

Inside the Imperial Study, the two sides had almost finished discussing their interests, and Chu Tianling was merely going through the motions to confirm things.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, we will do our utmost to serve you."

As Minister Jiang was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, he was most aware of the current state of the national treasury. If a northern expedition were to be launched, it would be a huge expense.

However, this doesn't affect the Chiang family; he can even line his own pockets, so why not?

"Well then, I will await good news."

Chu Tianling nodded slightly. Now that the matter was resolved, he waved his hand and dismissed the person.

"Prepare the carriage for Yong'an Palace."

Chu Tianling said something to Xiao Fuzi, then got up and walked out.

Upon arriving at Yong'an Palace today, instead of heading directly to Ningxi Palace to find Jiang Shuning, I entered Liang Qiuli's bedroom.

"Liang Qiuli, get ready. I'm taking Ning'er out of the palace tomorrow. You need to continue working..."

Chu Tianling entered the bedroom and saw Liang Qiuli, dressed in white, sitting by the window, her hands busy pruning flower branches. A ray of sunlight shone on her fair face and neck, making Chu Tianling gasp in admiration.

He swallowed back the words that he wanted to use Liang Qiuli as a shield.

Upon hearing the noise, Liang Qiuli quickly stood up and bowed to Chu Tianling.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and have failed to greet you properly."

Liang Qiuli's voice was charming and alluring, and with a graceful bow, her beautiful figure was fully revealed.

Chu Tianling narrowed his eyes slightly, completely forgetting his intention to remain chaste for Ning'er, and only wanting to take in the beautiful scenery.

However, Chu Tianling quickly came to his senses and secretly berated himself, telling himself that Liang Qiuli was just Ning'er's shield, and how could he possibly be interested in a shield!

He shifted his gaze from Liang Qiuli and gestured for her not to stand on ceremony.

"Did His Majesty just say that he wanted to take my sister out of the palace? Does he want me to continue being a shield?"

Liang Qiuli pretended not to hear clearly, looked at Chu Tianling with her clear and moist eyes, and asked again.

Liang Qiuli was right, but Chu Tianling felt a little reluctant to part with her, seeing how sincerely she cared for him and Ning'er.

"Your Majesty need not feel guilty. I love you, so I am willing to do anything for you. I will be well-behaved when I leave the palace tomorrow and will not be an eyesore to you and my sister."

Liang Qiuli suddenly stepped forward, tightly grasped Chu Tianling's sleeve, her eyes full of sincerity.

"Yes, I will certainly not treat you badly in the future."

Chu Tianling originally felt that, given Liang Qiuli's background, giving her the title of Zhaoyi and using her as a shield was already a great favor to her.

But now Chu Tianling feels somewhat sorry for Liang Qiuli. His heart already belongs to Ning'er, so he'll try to make it up to her more materially.

"Xiao Fuzi, go to the storeroom of Zichen Palace and bring back the noodles made from the South China Sea pearls that were offered as tribute from the south."

After thinking for a moment, Chu Tianling decided to give Liang Qiuli some tangible rewards.

"Your Majesty, that was something you specifically instructed me to leave for Consort Yu..."

The South China Sea pearl headdress is an extremely rare treasure; apart from the Regent's Palace, the entire palace only has one set.

Xiao Fuzi hesitated, worried that if he didn't remind Chu Tianling now, he would be blamed, and he couldn't bear that responsibility.

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianling frowned slightly. Ning'er had indeed mentioned it, but he had already secretly given Ning'er many headdresses.

Besides, Liang Qiuli is officially a favored concubine, and without such a special reward, it would be difficult to gain the trust of the harem.

"Go and get it. I'll take care of things for Ning'er."

Chu Tianling gave the order calmly. This was one of the few things he could decide, so his voice carried an unquestionable air of authority.

"Yes!"

Xiao Fuzi acknowledged and withdrew.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will respectfully accept your offer and will not refuse."

A joyful smile appeared on Liang Qiuli's face. Chu Tianling breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw her like this. Seeing her like this made him feel less guilty.

"You should rest well today. I'm going to see Ning'er. Tomorrow a carriage will come to pick you and Ning'er up and we'll go to Baiyuan Temple together."

Chu Tianling stood up, preparing to leave.